India vs England 2014: Eoin Morgan backs Alastair Cook as ODI captain

England cricketer Eoin Morgan, who had been thrust into the spotlight as a potential solution to the team’s captaincy challenge, is enjoying the prospect of helping skipper Alastair Cook forge a one-day side that is capable of clinching the ICC World Cup 2015. Morgan, who is the one-day vice-captain, is likely to have a crucial role to play as Cook and the coach Peter Moores fine-tune England’s preparations six months out from the tournament in Australia and New Zealand.

The preparations start in Bristol on Monday in the first of five One-Day Internationals (ODIs) against India, when Morgan will hope to reproduce the kind of form with the bat that has made him a mainstay of the side in recent years, The Guardian reported. Morgan had been brought into the attention of former England captains Michael Vaughan and Ian Botham due to his captaincy skills when Cook’s position as Test captain came under serious scrutiny following the dismal second Test loss to India at Lord’s last month.

The Irishman was reportedly touted as a possible replacement for Cook, despite having not played Test cricket for almost two years. However, the landscape has changed significantly since then, with Cook finding form again as England completed three successive victories to win the series in style. Now, with a World Cup in the near future, Morgan is hoping to help England take the momentum gained over the past month into the one-day format. He said that it couldn’t be more perfect coming into the one-day series and a big six months, adding that it is great to see Cook back in the runs.

Morgan said that to be mentioned as a Test captain was a big surprise, adding that it’s obviously very flattering to even be named as a potential replacement. He said that he has enjoyed the captaincy when he has done it at Middlesex and with England. Morgan is fully backing Cook’s one-day captaincy too, despite grumbles from some that the Essex batsman is not good enough to be in the limited-overs side. Morgan said that they have had a lot of success under Cook and that the skipper holds the changing room in great order with respect and performances, so there’s no doubting his captaincy.